i charge about $100-$150/hr depending on job....
you have to consider camera/lighting rentals.
vhs/dvd duplication costs.

i would charge anywhere from 5k-15k depending on how steller they want to get. but if they wanted something quick and dirty, from $1k-3k.

good luck and hope that helped ......and it probably didn't :P

I, myself can't speak to specific charges for such a project. Like you said, price is relative. This is especially true depending on where you live. Are you looking to get into this professionally, on a regular basis? If you are then this sounds like a great opputunity to get your name out there. What I did was, I looked up other video production companies in my city and checked out there rates. Because this is a side thing for me and I have a day job with a regular income, there is no minimum that I need to go by. It sounds like you are in a similar situation. So, I basically am doing my first several projects for free (I charge production costs only) sure I am not making any money, but I am getting my name out there and building up a portfolio. The next stage will be to charge for my services but to keep rates about half of what the going rate in town is. This, along with my portfolio, should land me new business and steal ;) from the competition. The final stage (which may never come) would be to make this a full time job, in which case I would go to rates neccessary to, of course, stay in business and live happily ever after.

Anyways, I am begining to ramble......back to your question.

If you just want this to be a one time thing then find out the going rates in your area and charge the same, get what you can for your time.

If you want to get more business like this then find out the going rates and charge at most, half of that. The company will be happy with the cost and then that much happier when they see the product finished. This will help when a need arises again for another video job. They will most certainly offer to you again.

Hope that helps some. -Shon

Since you have no reel or professional experience, the first thing is to make sure that you are not on a serious time delivery date. Delivery pressure is brutal.

Assuming that you are not, and that you can deliver a professional product, I'd say charge $50/hr to digitize the 6 hrs of footage. Then I'd say charge $100 per hr for the 6 hrs edit job, to put the whole show together. Charge another $50/hr to layback the video to tape, and charge for the tape stock - generally a 50% markup on what you pay.

The commerical is another story altogether. It's not simply a matter of splicing a bunch of scenes in a row. You need a script. You will need music. You may need a voice over actor. You will definitely need to budget a re-edit, probably two or three of them (don't get discouraged, we all do this - recut stuff for clients).

Edit prices for this kind of "regional" stuff generally run from as little as $500 (at the local cable company, where everyone is on staff and the cable company makes their profit in time buys) to $3,000 or so. Here's the way I'd break it down for you. Script $300-$500. If you can't write, find a pro writer. Music - use buyout stock that you buy for $200 and charge $350. SF ACID is great if you have the time, talent and interest. Voice over - figure about $350 to $500 and find and pay for GREAT talent. It will make the difference in your final spot. Flat rate the edit to rough cut at $2,000. If the client turns white at this price,drop it until he's happy. You need the experience and the reel more than a rate which will cut you out. Figure re-edits at $100/hr with the client in attendance to watch you work, and to supervise what he/she wants. Final render at $50/hr and layback to tape at same rate. Deliver on DV tape and charge 50% over cost, but offer the client to bring his own stock if he wants - he won't. A local pro will probably do the same job for $3,000 flat, not including music and talent cost.
Don't whine that you've never done this before and never say "whoops". If someone is paying you money, you are a professional. Act like it. Good luck, and welcome.